Gabby Windey and Rachel Recchia are smiling now—but will it last?
The two women, who will both vie for love on season 19 of The Bachelorette, were cuddly and grinning in a photo posted by Bachelor creator Mike Fleiss on April 6. Mike wrote in the caption of the post: "See, no drama… Just two friends helping each other find true love!"
For the first time in Bachelor Nation history, two people will be the face of the show for an entire season. Gabby and Rachel were both contestants on Clayton Echard's season of The Bachelor, making it all the way to the Icelandic finale until Clayton ultimately decided to win back Susie Evans.
Gabby and Rachel became incredibly close throughout their season. In fact, their friendship is the reason why the show decided to give both of them a shot.
"Watching you both support each other in Iceland, and also how you have tonight," host Jesse Palmer said on the March 15 Bachelor finale, "that was really the big reason why we decided to give you both a shot."
During the finale, Rachel gushed over Gabby and their upcoming reality TV odyssey.
"I'm so happy for her," Rachel said. "This is insane and I'm excited to do this journey with you. We did it once together and we've been through the most crazy experience together."
Gabby was similarly sentimental about the trek ahead.
"I'm a girl's girl, through and through," she said. "Having a friend by my side is the best thing I could ask for!"
Having two Bachelorettes at the helm isn't the only change for the upcoming season.
It was also announced that Jesse would be replacing Kaitlyn Bristowe and Tayshia Adams as host of The Bachelorette. Palmer, a former Bachelor himself, took over Bachelor hosting duties for Clayton's season.
While we've watched enough Bachelor and Bachelorette to know that friendships are tenuous and relationships rarely last, we're optimistic about the bond these two have formed.
See if Gabby and Rachel can balance it all—oh, and find love, too!—when season 19 of The Bachelorette premieres July 11 on ABC.